CH18 | MCT

Recruiting Talent (3)

Park Cheol-wan quickly shook his head.

He was a smart man.

He knew his current position well.

"I'm still inexperienced and lacking. I've only vaguely imagined it—"

"Then this time, let's turn that imagination into reality."

For a moment, Park Cheol-wan almost gave in.

He quickly composed himself.

"But I have no experience in construction. I've never even carried a single brick—"

"Do you think anyone is born a builder? There's no rule that says you can't work in construction just because you lack experience. Everyone has a first time."

Once again, he almost wavered.

This man... He's seriously dangerous.

"No matter what, construction has to start from the ground up—"

"Do you dislike the idea of working under me that much?"

"N-No, that's not it—"

Tae-soo placed both hands on Park Cheol-wan’s shoulders.

Their eyes met—Tae-soo's filled with excitement, while Park Cheol-wan trembled slightly.

"What are you so afraid of? The chance to chase your dream is right in front of you, Park Cheol-wan. And I’m offering it to you."

Tae-soo’s eyes were filled with conviction.

Seeing those unwavering eyes, Park Cheol-wan gradually calmed down.

Because he finally understood what Tae-soo’s gaze meant.

"Kang Tae-soo, you really believe in me?"

"Yes."

"But we’ve only just met."

"Knowing someone for a long time doesn’t guarantee trust. Likewise, just because we met today doesn’t mean I can’t believe in you. I want to believe in your dream."

"My dream?"

"We share the same dream. We’ve found common ground. I want you on my side. Do I need any other reason?"

The blunt honesty struck Park Cheol-wan like a straight punch to the chest.

"The same dream. Common ground. He wants me?"

Tae-soo asked—

Did he really need another reason?

And Park Cheol-wan had no choice but to answer.

"That’s more than enough! If that’s the reason, then I’m in!"

Tae-soo grinned.

He raised a clenched fist in front of Park Cheol-wan.

A fighting pose.

"Then let’s go for it, together!"

"Y-Yes!"

Caught up in the moment, Park Cheol-wan clenched his fist.

It was the first time in his life he had ever made a fighting pose.

"I was waiting for that answer."

Tae-soo beamed with joy.

Seeing that, Park Cheol-wan realized something.

"I totally fell for it."

But for some reason, he didn’t mind. In fact, he felt strangely happy.

A grin crept onto his face.

Tae-soo pulled a small notebook and pen from his pocket and quickly scribbled something down.

Then, he tore out the page and handed it to Park Cheol-wan.

"This is all I can give you for now."

"...What is this?"

Park Cheol-wan looked down at the slip of paper.

His eyes began to tremble.

<Vice President of Taeyang Construction, Park Cheol-wan>

It was a crudely made business card.

"No way... This can't be..."

Holding the makeshift card, Park Cheol-wan fell silent for a moment.

He read it once. Then again. And again.

It wasn’t a mistake. No matter how many times he checked, the words remained the same.

<Vice President of Taeyang Construction, Park Cheol-wan>

His fingers trembled, and so did the piece of paper in his hands.

"...This is my business card?"

He looked like he was about to laugh or cry—or maybe both.

Tae-soo smirked.

"I’ll have a proper one made for you next time."

"No, I think you made a mistake with the title. V-Vice President?"

"Honestly, if it were up to me, I'd drop the 'Vice' altogether."

"...This is ridiculous."

Even as he spoke, Park Cheol-wan couldn’t take his eyes off the crude business card.

Tae-soo remained calm, but his voice carried unwavering confidence.

"To make the best use of talent, you need the right position. But right now, our company is small—too small to contain someone like you."

Park Cheol-wan felt his face heat up.

"Me? What’s so special about me?"

"Taeyang Construction—let’s build it together. Let’s make it big, so you can truly chase your dreams and unleash your full potential."

Tae-soo grinned, full of certainty.

"This time, it’s Vice President. But next time, I’ll make sure to hand you a business card that says ‘President.’"

Park Cheol-wan opened and closed his mouth a few times before finally bursting into laughter.

"Hah… Hahaha… My god. You’re unbelievable."

"Why? Do I suddenly seem cool?"

"You're insane."

"Oh dear..."

Park Cheol-wan covered his face with one hand, his shoulders shaking as he laughed.

"Offering the position of Vice President to someone you've only just met? You're completely out of your mind."

"So, do you dislike it?"

"Hahaha!"

In the end, Park Cheol-wan burst into laughter, clutching his stomach. Then, without warning, he bent at the waist in a deep bow.

"Of course not. I look forward to working with you, boss."

Tae-soo grinned and returned the gesture.

"I look forward to working with you as well, Vice President."

He had braced himself for a long battle to recruit him, but he caught his prize in one shot.

A mischievous glint flickered in Tae-soo’s eyes.

"Vice President, can you report to the president’s office by 10 AM on Monday, July 31st?"

"Huh? Where exactly is this president’s office? Seoul? Or in Gangwon Province, where the mines are?"

"No, I meant the president’s office at Pohang Steel."

"...What?"

Seeing Park Cheol-wan’s bewildered expression, Tae-soo nodded.

"Did you know? The president of Pohang Steel has subcontracted Taeyang Construction to build a school."

"Ah, yes. I heard about that."

"Then don’t you think we should properly introduce Taeyang Construction’s project director?"

Realizing what Tae-soo was implying, Park Cheol-wan let out a hearty laugh.

"Alright. Let’s go to the Pohang Steel president’s office together at 10 AM on the 31st."

He playfully winked.

"Hahaha, since you promised me a business card with the title of ‘President’ next time, I guess I’ll have to design this one myself, huh?"

"...…"

Wait… is that how this works? Damn.

***

Vroom—

Park Cheol-wan’s Jeep roared to life and drove off.

After dropping Tae-soo and Holjook off at Yeongildae Beach.

"Man, Kang Tae-soo, you really reeled in a big fish today, huh?"

"Just got lucky."

"Fine, winning the contract was one thing. But earlier…"

Holjook clicked his tongue and shook his head.

Tae-soo scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"He’s a talent I couldn’t afford to lose."

"That guy… you should be careful around him."

"Why? What do you mean? Did you notice something off?"

"That guy is way too naive. That’s why he fell for Kang Tae-soo’s sweet talk so easily. He should be careful not to get scammed. Once was enough—he won’t fall for it twice."

"……."

Holjook chuckled.

Thud.

Tae-soo plopped down onto the sandy beach.

It was late July, and the beach was packed with vacationers.

The salty ocean breeze carried the carefree energy of summer.

A sight you’d never see in Seoul—it was relaxing.

"This is nice."

"Yeah, the view is great. Damn—check out that woman over there."

Holjook flopped down next to him, unable to take his eyes off a woman with an incredible hourglass figure.

Night fell over Pohang’s coastline.

After showering at a nearby inn, Tae-soo and Holjook headed to a street stall.

"A promise is a promise, Holjook."

Just as Holjook had wished, they had spent the whole day enjoying themselves.

The beach, fresh sashimi, soju, and even women.

And yet—

"That damn woman… just toyed with my feelings and left."

Holjook sniffled and took another swig of soju.

The alcohol seeped into his wounded heart, numbing the pain.

"Nothing heals heartbreak like booze. Look, my wounds are being disinfected. Alcohol works wonders."

Holjook had been rejected left and right by every woman he approached.

"How could they turn me down when I have six-pack abs? Sniff—those women have no taste."

"That’s not a six-pack, Holjook. That’s just your ribs."

Holjook whipped his head around, glaring at Tae-soo with pure resentment.

"Why do all the women flock to your pretty-boy face, huh? Damn it, sniff."

"What’s wrong with my face?"

"You look like some pampered nobleman."

"And you look like a damn skeleton. Quit whining and drink your soju."

Tae-soo shoved a new bottle into Holjook’s grumbling mouth, shutting him up instantly.

"If you leave any of that expensive sashimi, I’ll kill you."

"Sigh—my heart aches. This is when you need whiskey."

The kind of whiskey they had seen in the president’s office at Pohang Steel.

Tae-soo smirked and dipped a piece of sashimi into soy sauce.

It was delicious.

"I should take my parents on a trip someday. Treat them to some good sashimi like this."

He hadn’t even been able to buy them a decent meal, let alone take them on a trip.

Maybe that’s why he always thought of them when eating good food.

"It feels weird—coming back to the past and suddenly trying to be a good son."

The image of his parents smiling warmly gave him strength.

"Tae-soo, what’s your next move?"

"What?"

"You came here to sell that molly-whatever mineral, but now you've ended up with a ton of extra work."

"So what? I’ll just do both."

"You think that’s possible?"

"If someone truly commits to something, there’s nothing they can’t achieve."

Holjook, my friend, this big bro here has actually run a construction company before.

As the Chief Secretary of Cheongil Group, I kept the president of Cheongil Construction on his toes.

So handling something like this? Child’s play.

"Not like I can tell him the truth, though… tch."

Tae-soo just chuckled instead.

He silently counted the days in his head.

"Still a few days left until August 3rd."

"August 3rd? Why?"

"I’ve got some money coming in."

Once the August 3rd Private Loan Freeze Policy is announced, I’ll be able to collect from Jang Mal-dong.

"That guy may be a lot of things, but at least he keeps his promises."

If it’s Jang Mal-dong, he’ll likely follow through.

"But I can’t just sit around waiting until then. The money’s one thing, but there’s also the molybdenum facilities, the miners, and the lodging. Too much to handle."

Tae-soo had sent Han-soo to gather intel on the mining situation.

By now, Han-soo was probably traveling across Gangwon-do and Chungbuk, scouting for a suitable location.

"Not having a cellphone is frustrating. Just making a single call is a hassle."

After living in 2020, Tae-soo found himself longing for modern conveniences.

If he had never known them, it would’ve been fine. But having used them and then losing access? That was unbearable.

"The air is clean, the water is fresh, and the people are kind. That’s all great, but..."

Still, he had his parents, Han-soo, and even Holjook—alive and well.

"I had lost them all before. I was left completely alone. The loneliness was suffocating."

Back then, did he even have a friend to drink with?

A family to gather around the table, eating hangover soup with crisp radish kimchi?

His younger brother, who used to nag him with a disapproving look, had passed on before him.

His wife. His children. He had buried them all first.

"Work, work, work! What was success even worth? What was loyalty worth? What was Cheongil Group worth?"

He wouldn’t trade this life for anything.

Even if he had to die again, he wouldn’t go back.

"Sometimes, it feels like a dream. I’m scared I’ll wake up. I like it here too much."

Tae-soo looked at Holjook, his gaze softening.

He picked up the soju bottle and filled Holjook’s glass.

Glug, glug, glug.

"You live for alcohol, but if you keep drinking like this, you’ll end up with liver disease. Still, let’s enjoy ourselves tonight, Holjook."

"Haha, you worry too much!"

A single bottle of soju was enough to make Holjook feel like he owned the world.

Tae-soo had missed this sight for far too long.

"Holjook, why don’t you come work with me?"